1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a puzzle, and more particularly, the invention is directed to an improved three dimensional puzzle that is solved by manipulating a plurality of interconnected pieces without disassembly to form a desired pattern.
The invention further relates to a three dimensional sliding element puzzle with an exterior in the shape of a sphere, wherein the sphere is divided into a plurality of segments by a plurality of longitudinal planes passing through the top and bottom axis of the sphere, and divided into a plurality of lattitudinal bands by a plurality of planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of teh sphere.
More particularly, the invention is directed to providing a means for rotating any two hemispherical sets of segments relative to one another. The invention also relates to providing surface elements which may be rotated latitudinally about the sphere. The construction of the invention uses a limited number of types of parts, thereby making manufacture simple and inexpensive. Further, the construction is easilty generalizable to spherical puzzles having any even number of longitudinal segments and any number of latitudinal bands of surface elements.
The invention may be used for a variety of applications where it is desired to scramble or unscramble a pattern on a spherical or globe surface. In particular, the invention provides for a large number of possible solution configurations in a compact and easily manipulated puzzle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various prior art puzzle devices and the like, are well known and are found to be exemplary of the U.S. Prior Art. They are:
______________________________________ 3,081,089 Gustafson 4,377,286 Constantinescu 4,378,117 Rubik 4,441,715 Titus 4,522,401 Gustafson 4,540,177 Horvath 4,557,484 Sherman, Jr. et al. ______________________________________
These patents in general disclose puzzles where a plurality of connected pieces are unscrambled by displacing some pieces relative to one another, usually about a common point or plane.
The patents to Gustafson, Constantinescu, Rubik and Horvarth disclose puzzles where a central core has pivoting members or surface pieces attached thereto.
The patent to Titus discloses a spherical puzzle where a plurality of sections are interlocked so that they may be hemispherically rotated.
The patent to Horvath discloses a spherical puzzle where hemispheres are rotated to modify a curved track that holds a plurality of beads.
These patents or known prior uses teach and disclose various types of puzzles of various sorts and manufactures, and the like, as well as method of their construction; but none of them, whether taken singly or in combination, disclose the specific details of the combination of the invention in such a way as to bear upon the claims of the present invention.
The present invention is an improvement upon these prior art devices in that it provides a construction of a puzzle where any longitudinal segment may be positioned adjacent to any other longitudinal segment. Further, the invention includes means for mounting a plurality of surface elements so that a smooth spherical outer surface is formed that is free of large gaps between the elements, and is also free of protruding polar caps.